Spring-actuated motor.



A. C. RUTZEN.

SPRING ACTUATED MOTOR.

APPLICATION men JAN.30, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

1,178,948. Patented Apr. 11, 1916.

\ I 25 6 Q D A TTEST. /NVENTOR BY ATr'Y sU THE COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH $10., WASHINGTON, D' C.

A. C. RUTZEN.

SPRING ACTUATED' MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED IAN 30,1914

1,178,948. Patented Apr. 11, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

i F z i oi 35 5o o E ,8 d qmlfiwfififi f i i 5 Q I, O

,47' TEST /Nl/EN TOR I BY W Arr'vs.

A. C. RUTZEN.

SPRING ACTUATED MOTOR. APPLICATION FILED JAN.30. 1914.

1,178,948. I Patented Apr. 11, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- 1477557, I /NVENTOR I l BY 1PM A rrya A. C. RUTZEN.

SPRING ACTUATED MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 30. 1914.

1, 178,948. I Patented Apr. 11, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

A TTES T /N VEN TOR fl. M CV23? 'BY W THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH cu, WASHINGION, n.

UNTTED TATES PATENT @FFTQE.

AUGUST C. RUTZEN, F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

SPRING-ACTUATED MOTOR.

Specification of Letters Ifateirt.

Patented Apr. 11, 1916.

Application filed January 30, 1914. Serial No. 815,546.

. specification.

This invention has reference to a spring actuated motor of the self-winding type, and in the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a sectional side elevation of the motor disclosing especially the planetary arrangement of gears through which the springs transmit power and which travel around the shaft and pinion at the center of the system. Fig. 2 is a plan view on a line corresponding substantially to 2-2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a-sectional side elevation of the machine on a line corresponding to 33, Fig. 2, looking inward. Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation substantially on the axis of the main shaft and corresponding to 4-4, Fig. 3. Fig. 5' is a sectional elevation of a portion of the machine containing the friction brake mecha nism, and Fig, 6 is a detail showing the pulley and the opening in the casing for the band thereon.

This invention is, in. a sense, an improvement on the application filed by me in the United States Patent Office on the 2nd'day of January, 1914, Ser. No. 809,851, and is offered as a simplification of the invention therein, as shown and fully described. Thus, the motor comprises a suitable casing 0 of a shell like pattern and more or less ornamental in design and adapted to stand upon a suitablebase and to carry and contain all the operating parts. To these ends the said casing is preferably cast in two sections meetin'g'on a horizontal line through the axis of the machine and bolted together at their meeting edges so as to provide a unitary structure which is closed against outside dust and really has no opening but such as the belt 5 requiresfor the delivery of the power of the machine from I the driven pulley p.

S represents a centrally positioned shaft, also referred to herein as the main shaft, and mounted'in a frame or yoke y located within said casing and supported from counter-shaft s which also carries the said pulley and in the present form of the machine adapted also to rest on the roller R in the bottom of the casing as hereinafter fully described. Both the said shafts S and s are fixed in the yoke y against rotation, and

the said yoke and all it carries is pivoted on the said counter shaft 8 with enough up and down movement at its center over roller R to assist in the rewinding of the springs 2 successively. The said yoke or frame has three parallel bars running 7 respectively along the sides and through the middle of the casing and serving as supports, indirectly, for the actuating parts including the disk D, the springs 2 thereon, the planetary gears 4, 5, and 6 and all the transmitting mechanism as will presently be seen. Thus, the direct or immediate support of the parts last above enumerated, and others, consists in the relatively large disk D, having antifriction bearings on shaft S, and carrying the series of eight springs, in this instance, mounted in a circle on studs 7 on one side of said disk. 'At. the sides of the said springs are relatively small disks cl having sleeves S of a length suflicient to extend through to the large disk D and on which are mounted the springs 2 and the pinions 10 at the side thereof. The said sleeves and disk 03 are rotatable on the studs 7 and the inner ends of said springs are fixed thereto as also are the pinions 10, while the outer ends of the springs are fixed to the studs 12 on disk D.

Ratchet wheels 14 are in splined or like relation on the fixed studs 7 with the power gears 5 on the sides opposite to springs 2, and the disks d have pawls 15, Fig. 1, in spring pressed engagement with said ratchet wheels. Rotation is imparted to said disks 0? to wind up the springs through pinions 10 which are rotated about one complete revolution each time to effect such winding, the said pinions being operatively engaged by the toothed sectors 16. The said sectors are pivoted at 17 on the disk D andhave rollers or wheels 18 on their arms in. the path of the roller R in the bottom of the inclosing casing 0 and are adapted to rotate said pinions by being themselves rotated successively in passing over said rollers. As this occurs the entire weight of. the disk D and the parts carried thereby is upon said sectors and said disk is raised from. roller R relatively as seen in several figures, and n0- tably Figs. 1 and 4. y The position of the engaged sector shows that it makes approximately a quarter revolution as the roller thereon is carried across the said Iroller R.

The next succeeding sector is shown at the left of Fig. 1, and all sectors are operated in like manner and continuously while the machine is running, striking the roller R and riding up over the same by their wheels 18 as they are carried forward by or through the rotation of disk D on its axis on shaft S. lVhen a sector has passed the roller R the disk D descends onto roller R and turns thereon between sectors. 1 might, however, the frame 1 at a given elevation and void its rising and falling with the passing of the sectors over roller R.

Rotation of disk or spring supporting base D is eff cted through the several gears 4, 5 and 6 above mentioned and which are arranged in planetary order about shaft S as described and have the gear or pinion 6 keyed or splined thereon as the center of their rbit. Let it be remembered that the said shaft is fixed in the frame 4) and hence the pinion 6 does not rotate but becomes a fulcrum for rotating. the large disk D through the medium of the two gears t and 5, the larger gears 4 being mounted on independent studs 20 fixed in disk D and meshing with pinion 6, and the smaller gears mounted on the studs 7, which carry the springs and meshing with gears 5. The gears 5 being in actuated relations with the springs they naturally cause a travel of the gears 4 rotarily about or around gear 6, and the said gears f being mounted on fixed posts on large disk D the said disk D is caused to rotate about its axis on shaft S,

and of course carries the springs and other parts mounted thereon with it. This includes the sectors 16 which come into operating relation with roller R as above described, and by turning on their pivots to accommodate themselves to such contact winding up the springs. Such winding is supposed to take up the expenditure of the spring in making the circuit, and of course all springs are wound by hand or otherwise to begin with to such tension as each may need to maintain action until it is automatically rewound through the mechanism described, the said sectors swinging out of winding relation after the roller R has been passed. This construction leaves all the springs alike free to expend all their energy upon disk D upon which they are mounted to rotate the same and transmit power for work. Such transmission, in the present construction, proceeds through a gear Gr mounted upon the side of disk D to rotate therewith and meshed with a pinion 22 on a short shaft 23 having antifriction bearings in the middle bar of yoke 3 and carrying a gear G on its opposite en The fly wheel F has a hub sleeved to turn on a suitable bearing on shaft S and a pinion 24 is splined or keyed on said hub and is meshed by the gear G to drive the fly Wheel.

invention from my application above Otherwise the said gear G is in driving relations with a gear 25 on a sleeve 26 on counter-shaft s. The pulley P also is mounted on this sleeve and the speed checking device having a friction clutch 27 engages a wheel 28 between said pulley and said gear 25 on said sleeve. N0 novelty is claimed herein for said speed checking device.

The plan of operation contemplates a high rate of speed of the fly-wheel, sometimes running up to 5000 revolutions, more or le per minute, and with the size and weight of wheel employed and the high rate of travel. there is no perceptible draw-back or speed diminishing effect in the running of the machine by reason of the Winding-up of the springs. That is the momentum of the said wheel is such that the successive rewindings of the springs through the gradual and comparatively easy action'of the sectors pro ceeds without shock or check in the continir ous and even operation.

Respecting the rewinding means herein shown I may say that this is only one of several different kinds or arrangements of mechanlsm I can employ for this purpose and hence the invention is not limited to sectors as the more immediate rewinding parts, though they give the highest satisfaction and are always in repair.

The present motor is essentially of the planetary type since the axis S and the fixed gear 6 thereon is the solar center about which the sprmgs and thelr transmlttmg This also differentiates the rethe the gears revolve.

ferred to, in which the springs and transmitting parts are stationary and main or central axle revolves.

7 It will be observed that the four several larger gears 4 have each two of the spring gears 5 meshing therewith while said four gears engage the fixed gear 6 at four succes sive points and travel about the same in sustained working relations.

The winding of the springs proceeds without suspending their action, and is fected through the pinion 10 fixed on the sleeve of diskd and also having the spring secured thereto at its inner end. Rotation of pinion 10 by sector 16 therefore turns all these parts together on post 7 while the ratchet wheel 14 is splined or otherwise connected with gear 5 on post 7 Then unwinding of the spring occurs through the rotation of said gear 5 and the ratchet 14s as hereinbefore described.

The part B need not necessarily be a roller or wheel for turning the sectors as any sufiicient projectionwill answer the purpose, especially if the frame Y be made stationary. Neither does the sector arm require a roller, but this too is best to promote ease of operation.

Respecting the operation of the machine herein described, it should be understood that I do not claim that the machine will run perpetually, nor do I mean to fix any length of time that it will run, becausemuch will depend on the kindand amount of work that is put upon it. However, I do claim that the machine will do useful work for a longer or shorter period, subject to conditions, and that by the kind of springs and theirdisposition in the machine and the rewinding mechanisin'" substantially as described, the duration of operation is materially prolonged over what would be possible with the same springs without such rewinding mechanism.

hat I claim is:

1. A spring motor comprising power springs and a rotatable base carrying the same, a fixed gear and transmitting means between said gear and said base adapted to transmit the power of the springs through the said base.

2. A spring motor having a rotatable base, a series of springs fixed on the side thereof and a central fixed member with which said springs are operatively geared and the said base is rotated.

3. A spring motor having a fixed disk shaped rotatable member and springs in a circle on one side thereof, a fixed gear and a system of planetary gears operatively connecting said springs with the said fixed gear.

4. A spring motor comprising a series of power springs and a rotatable power transmitting member on which said springs are mounted, a central shaft and a fixed gear thereon and transmitting connections from said springs to said fixed gear.

5. A spring motor having a fixed central shaft, a circular member rotatably mounted on said shaft, springs and driving mechanism connected with said springs and mounted on said member and a fixed gear on said shaft in mesh with said driving mechanism.

6. A spring motor having a rotatable member of substantially disk shape and a series of power springs located in a circle thereon, a central shaft and a fixed gear on said shaft, a gear connected with each spring and other gears in mesh therewith and with said fixed gear. i

7. A spring motor having a series of springs and a rotatable base on which said springs are mounted, a series of power conveying gears and a ratchet mechanism operatively connecting the said springs and gears.

8. A spring motor having a rotatable base, a series of springs on the side of said base, a fixed shaft and a gear fixed thereon, a planetary arrangement of gears intervening said springs and said fixed gear and means to wind up said springs while they hold working relations with said gears.

9. A spring power motor having a rotatable base and springs mounted in a circle thereon, and means to wind up said springs comprising a pinion on the axis of each spring, a device with teeth to rotate said pinions and means 'to take up the rotation and prevent unwinding.

10. A spring power motor having a rotatable base and springs thereon, in combination with means towind up the springscom- 12. A spring motor having a rotatable base and a frame in which said base is mounted, a series of springs in a circle on said base and means to wind up said springs comprising a pinion for each spring, a sector having an arm pivoted on said base and means to cause said sector to rotate and turn said pinion.

13. The construction described having a fiat sided rotatable base in a vertical plane, springs mounted on the side of said base, a frame carrying the base pivoted at one end and adapted to rise and fall within limits on said pivot, a roller serving-as a rest for said base and means to wind up said springs comprising a pivoted member for each spring adapted to contact with and ride over said roller and cause a corresponding winding. of the spring.

14. A spring motor having an inclosing casing, a frame pivoted therein, a disk shaped base rotatably mounted in said frame and a series of power springs on said base.

15. The motor described having a casing, a frame supported in said casing, a fixed shaft in said frame, a disk shaped base having bearings on said shaft, a series of springs in a circle on said base,a fixed gear on said shaftand means connected with said springs meshing with said gear and rotating said base.

16. A spring motor having a rotatable disk-shaped base and a series of springs and power transmitting gear on one side of said base, a fixed pinion with which said gears are engaged and means on the opposite side of said base for transmitting power therefrom.

17. A spring motor having a fiat sided rotatable base vertically disposed, springs and power transmitting means at one side of said base, and a gear fixed on the other side thereof, and a train of mechanism in actuating relations With said gear to convey power therefrom.

18. A spring motor having a rotatable 4 disk shaped base and a frame and a fixed Wheel driven thereby, and means to rc-Wind said springs as each successively rotates to a given point in their circuit.

20. A spring power motor having a rotatable disk shaped base and a series of springs in a circle thereon, in combination vith means to re-Wind the springs comprising a pinion and an actuating pivoted sector for each spring, means to rotate said sector at a fixed point in the rotation of said disk and springs and a fly Wheel to maintain the momentum of rotation.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

AUGUST C. RUTZEY. lVitnesses:

E. M. FIsHER, F. C. HARROLD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner oi. Eatents,

Washington, I). C. 

